Anthias
Anthias
Pseudanthias
CommonSerranidaeHarmless
ID points
- Hovers in schools in the water above reef slopes
- Females orange-yellow, males purple-red, two obvious colours in one school
- Deeply forked tail, upper and lower lobes drawn into fine points
Basics
- Family
- Serranidae
- Length
- 7–15 cm
- Depth
- 5-60 m
- Regions
- Indo-Pacific reefs
- Distribution
- Strong currents above Indo-Pacific coral reefs
- Habitat
- Current-swept reef slopes
- Diet
- Zooplankton
Easily confused with
Coral HindOrange-red ground covered with small blue dots edged in dark
Coral TroutOrange-red ground covered in tiny blue spots
Barramundi CodHumped back and concave head, hunchbacked in profileFun fact
Every Anthias is born female. When the male disappears from a group, the strongest female turns into a male within a few weeks, and her colours change along with her sex.